Colon irrigator



H. E. DIERKER COLON IRRIGATOR May" 23, 1933.

Filed Aug. 12, 1930 cfg( A Trae/Vix Patented May 23, 1933 UNiTED STATESPATENT OFFICE HUGH E. DIERxEn, oF oeiaiaav raux, camronm, ASSIGNOR 'roEDGAR r. HUGHES,

' or Los ANGELES, cauromrm coLoN nuuGA'roa 'application ma mgm 12,1930.serial No. 4743114.

My invention ,relates to themedical art and lmore particularlyapparat/us. f

It has been customary-in the practice' of colon irrigation to supplyfluid to the coloni and de end u on ravit orreflex muscular action lbrthellevalatiorlof this fluid. .Thls practice is a slow, tedious, andunsanltalfy one, inasmuch as fecal matter and muco1d substancesfrequently become lodged 1n a `protuberance in the walls of the colon,andl 'become hardened, and it istherefore desm-y which I supply asolution to the colon :by

It is an object of my invention to provide a an apparatus of the classdescribed'which includes means for controlling` th/egrate at which thefluid is drawn off from the colon through the discharge passage, andforuproportionately varying the rate of flow linl this ,passage and thedegree of suctiony created therein by the suction providing means.

In some cases it is desirable to supply sluf.

tion to the colon rapidly and at other times very slowly, and itistherefore desirable'to provide control means for varying the volume offluid provided by thesupply reservoir.

lt is another object of my invention'to provide/in an apparatus of thisclass, means for varying the flow of, thesolution from the to a colonicirrigating l supply reservoir to the colon or for completely stoppingthis flow at intervals.

It is likewise desirable, for obvious reasons, to have facilities forthe observation of the fluid passing through the discharge passaga It istherefore another object of my invention to provide in a colonicirrigating apparatus means for continuous observation of the characterof the fluid passing through the discharge as'sage. v A It is a furt erobject of the invention to provide check means arranged in the`discharge passage which permits the discharged fluid to flow from theinsertion member to ,the suction providing means, but prevents a flowfrom` the suction roviding means to- Ward the insertion mem er;

It is frequently necessary during colonic irrigation as practiced in themedical art, to stimulate the action of the voluntary andthe involuntaryabdominal muscles to overcome a partial paralysis of these muscles. ThisI stimulation is accomplished by a treatment known in the art assinusoidal modality or interrupted galvanic modality, these treatmentsbeing performed by a device wellknown in the art, which comprises, inshort, an apparatus including a pair of electric conductlng pads adaptedto be placed on the back and' abdomen of a patient, there beingconductors connecting these pads to the device which is adapted totransmit intermittent electrical impulses through the body ofthe patientwith stimulating eflect upon Athe above mentioned abdominal muscles. i

The sinusoidal modality and the interrupted galvanic modalitytreatments, as known in the a-rt, are administered by a device which isan entirely individual unit in- -tendedfor use independent of otherappara'- tus, such as colonie irrigation apparatus. 1

It is an object of?v my invention to provide a vcolonic irrigation'apparatus including means adapted for connection to an auxiliary'device` for4 administering the sinusoidal modality or the interruptedgalvanic modality` treatments so that the last mentioned device iscontrolled by the( operating mechanism of the irrigating apparatuscomprising my invention.y

. I have discovered that the most effective time to administer thesestimulating electrical impulses to inactive abdominal muscles bis duringthe period in which suction is be It is therefore another object of myin-v vention to provide in the colonic irrigating apparatusdescribedfmeans operable by the control mechanism embodied in theapparatus to close a circuit includedin a device for administering thesinusoidal modality or an equivalent treatment simultaneously with thesyphon effect exerted onvthe colon of the patient, as previouslydescribed.

It is another object ofV my invention to provide novel means ofadministering these stimulating electrical impulses to the abdominalmuscles of a patient by providing a single conducting pad adapted to bevapplied to the abdomen of the patient, and novel means for completingvan electric circuit through the body of the patient bylusing the yfluidwithin the discharge passage of the ap- Iparatus and the insertionmember inserted in the colon of the patient as a current conductor.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a method and apparatuswhereby it is possible to treat the entire colonic tract elec- -tricallyor electrochemically by use of `a liquid electrode filling the colon anda movable external electrode which may be applied to the abdomen or backand which is adapted to be moved across the exterior of the abdomen orof the back so as to concentrate the electric activity at variousportions of the colon. By placing the electrode on the exterior of thebody adjacent one end of thel Other objects and advantages will be madeapparent in the following specification and the accompanying drawing.

' Referring to the drawing:

Fig. Alis a diagrammatic utility view illus- Vtrating a completeapparatus embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 isa perspectivevlew of the control '-Inechanism-fof thefdevicewith the housing thereof broken away for ,simplicity of illustration.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the suction providing meansgof theinvention taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a median horizontal plane throughthe operating valve of the device, as indicated by the line 4--4 of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of an insertion member` such as isreadily obtainable commercially, and which is particularly adapted foruse with my invention.

In the drawing, 11 indicates a Huid supply reservoir which may be of anydesired type and be arranged \in any well-known manner to supply asolution at various predetermined temperatures. The numeral 12 indicatesan insertion member adapted for insertion in an orifice of the body,this insertion member bei g connected through control mechanismgenerally designated by the .numeral 13 to the fluid supply reservolrl1.

Referring to Fig. 2 in particular, in which the details of constructionof the control mechanism are shown, I provide a housing lfiwhich may beof a rectangular shape having side walls 15, end walls 16, a bottoml'?,and a removable cover plate 18. Extending longitudinally through thehousing 14 is a tubular member generally designated by the numeral 19 inwhich is provided a three-way valve 20, a check valve 21 of an ordinarytype, and an ejector 22. All of these memv bers threadedly connectedtogether by suitable lengths of tubing comprise the tubular member19,'which I will hereinafter refer to as the discharge passage. nectedtothe third side of the three-way valve`20 is a laterally extending pipe19a which projects through the side wall 15 of 'the housing 14, as shownin Fig. 2, and is provided with a nipple 23 adapted to be connected to asupply pipe 2A: in such a manner as to directly connect the pipe 19a tothe iluid supply reservoir 11.

As shown in Fig. 2, the extreme outer ends of the tubular member 19 areformed to provide nipples 25 and 26, the nipple 25 being adapted forconnection to the insertion member 12 by a suitable length of flexibletubing 27, indicated in Fig. l, and the nipple 26 beingadapted forconnection with a discharge line 28 leading to a sewage system.

In Fig. 3 I show the ejector 22 as comprising a body portion 30 having alongitudinally extending primary bore 31 into eachffendv of which asection of the tubular member 19 is threadedly connected, as previouslydescribed. Extending obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis of4 theprimary borel31 and in communication therewith, is a secondary bore 32into which is lthreadedly inserted a water supply tube 33. As indicatedin Fig; 2, the water supply tube 33 is connected to a water main 34which extendsthrough an opening in' one of the walls 15, this supplyThreadedly con-Y tube being connected in an operable manner to apressure `gauge 35 wrich is positioned exteriorly of the housing 14ftoafford visible evidence of the pressurewithin the tube 33. Placed in thetube 33 at a point adjacent the three-way valve 20 isa quick-throw valve36 which may be of any well-known type.

Connected to the' valve plug 40 of the three-way valve 20 is anoperating lever 41 adapted to extend outwardly through a longitudinallyextending slot 42 'in one ofthe walls of the housing 14, this lever beinoperable to rotate the valve lug 40 in suc J a manner as to cause thesuppl)yl1ne 19a t0 be 15 thrown into communication with the insertionmember 12," and subsequently `rotated to throw the insertion member 12into communi-f ,cation with the discharge line 28 for a urposehereinafter described. Formed 1ntegrally with the lever 41 at a pointadjacent the three-way valve 20 is an arm 45 adapted to be pivotallyconnected as by a pin and slot connection 46 to' a link 47 whichissecured to the gate vof the quick-throw valve 95 36 in the watersupply line 33 as indicated at 48 in Fig. 2. v l

The operation of my invention is as follows. With the fluidsupplyreservoir 11 containing a predetermined amount of' solution at anydesired temperature, the insertion member 12 is inserted in the colon ofa patient, the operating lever 41 is then moved into the positionindicated in dotted lines 5() of Figs. 2 and 4, which causes the/valvegate to assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, this positionallowing the solution to flow'by gravity through the lateral fluidsupply pipe 19a, the valve 20, and the flexible tube 27 to the insertionmember 12.

the solution is being delivered to thel insertion member 12 it isdesired to reduce the flow of the solution `or to completely stop theflow thereof, the lever 41 may be moved into the position shown in solidlines in Fig.

2, at which time the valve gate 40. of theV .which causes the valve gate'40 to assume the position indicated by the dotted lines 53 in Fig. 4,throwing the insertion member 12 into communication with the 'dischargepassage 19. It will be understood by an inspection of Fig. 2 that whenthe lever 41 is thrown into the position indicated by the dotted lines52,-the arm will swing in the direction indicated by the arrow 55 yofFig. 2, thisl movement being operable to open the quick throwdvalve 36A,placin the water supply pipe 33 in communicatmn with the water If at anytime in the yperiod during which main 34 and causing water to bedelivered under pressure into, thesecondary orifice 32 in the directionof the arrow 60. It will be seen thatv this flow of Water under pressurewhen delivered into the primary bore 31, as indicated by the arrow 61 in`Fig. 3, will, according to a wellknown principle of physics, create avacuum in the primary bore 31 which tends to exert a suction throughoutthe lengthv of the dischargpassage 19 in the direction of the arrow 62,tending to draw the fluid from the colon of the patientwith suflicientforce to dislodge foreign substances that may have been secretedtherein.

If at any time during the withdrawal of the fluid from the colori of thepatient it is desired'to reduce the flow or to entirely stop the flow offluid, the lever 41 may be moved from the position indicated by thedotted lines 52 of Fi 2 into the position shown in solid lines. T elever 41, the arm 45, and the link" 47. cooperate to(simultanouslyactuate the quick-throw valve 36 and the three-way valve 20 toproportionately reduce the flow of fluid through the disc-barge passage19 and the flow of water under pressure through the water supply tube 33and the .secondary bore 32 of the ejector 22, thereby reducing thedegree of suction exerted by the ejector upon the discharge passage 19.

The insertion member l2 may be provided with a transparent portion 65,as indicated in Fig. 1, for the continuous observation of the characterof thel fluid which is being drawn through the discharge'passage 19.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of. the drawing, as is somewhat diagrammaticallyindicated, is a device adapted to administer. the sinusoidal modality oran e uivalent treatment. This device, generally esignated bythe numeral70 of Fig. 1, is adapted to be operable as a subsidiary apparatus to thecolonic irrigating apparatus of my invention, it being understoodthatthe irrigating apparatus as above described may be operatedindependently of the apparatus 70.l The apparatus 70 includes anelectric conducting pad 71, preferably formed of a fibrous material suchas felt, which is saturated with water, and is positioned upon theabdomen of the patient.

.Connecting the pad 71 to a` terminal 72 of acurrentinterrupter 7 2a isa conductor 73 in which is interposed 'a potential source of current,indicated at 7 3a in Fig,'1. As shown in- Fig. 2, I provide a bracketmember 74 mount-A ed within the housing 14 upon one of thev ,walls 15thereof, this bracket preferably being formed of an insulating material.Secured to the bracket 74 `is a spring-contact 75 adapted to extend intoaposition adjacent the. end 76 of the arm 45 and in the path vof travellthereof. Secured to the bracket 74 is a terminal post 77 connected tothe contact 75, this post being connectedto the terminal 78 of thecurrent interrupter 72a, by a conlos' ductor 79, this interrupter beingoperable to intermittently break and complete the circuit including theconductors 73 and 7 9. i

It will be seen that in the operation of this subsidiary device thecontact 75 will be engaged by the 'end 76 of the arm 45 when the lever41 is thrown into the position indicated by dotted lines 52 in Fig. 2,which position,

as previously described, is operable to throw the insertion member 12into communication with the discharge passage 19 of the invention. Thiscontactcauses current to be delivered from the source `of current 73a' 4through the interrupter 72a, the conductor 79,

the contact 75, the arm 45, and the body of the valve 20 to the fluidflowing through the discharge passage 19, this fluid actingas anelectrode which cooperates with the pad 71,

comprising another electrode, to deliver in-v termittent electricalimpulses to the abdominal muscles of the patient. I

It is an important feature of my invention that the solution may bedelivered to the colon vention that the flow of the fiuid `through thedischarge passage 19 may be varied in direct proportionto the degree ofsuction created therein by the suction providing means, this beingaccomplished by the simultaneousoperation of the valves in the watersupply pipes and the exhaust passage by the operating lever of thedevice. It should be understood that the details of construction of thesuction providing member described herein are unimportant to theoperation of the device, inasmuch as any Well-known syphon, vacuum pump,or suction apparatus may be used satisfactorily in the operationthereof.

It should also be understood that the insertion member herein describedhas been shown' merely for the purpose ofillustration, as

, various types thereof are readily .obtainable commercially and equallyefficient for use in connection with an apparatus of the type'described. It is another important feature ofthe-in'- vention to providecheckmeans positioned in the dischar e passage and being operable toApermit Hui to flow from the in ertin member to the suction providinginvention, but to effectively prevent `Huid evice) of the under'pressure from being forced back- ,wardlyi from the suction providingdevice to This is im ortant2 becaus if the 'discharge line, connectingthe outlet nd of the pressure providing device the insertion member.

to the" sewage, becomes inadvertently obstructed. thecheck meansprovided in the exhaust passage olviates the possibility of water underpressure being forced backwardly into the colon of the patient.

It is also another important feature in the 'operation of'my irrigatingapparatus that described is fully capable of performing all4 l thepurposes primarily stated, I donot wish to be restricted thereto, as itis apparent that my invention is capable of being embodied'in variousother forms, all of which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as` my invention:

1. In a colonic irrigating apparatus, the combination of: a fiuidsupplyreservoir providingqa supply passage arranged to supply a iuid underpressure; a discharge passage having a three-way valve therein, saidvalve connecting said supply passage to `said discharge passage; aninsertion member connected to said discharge passage on one side of saidvalve, said insertlon Amember having a single fluid passage therein andbeing adapted for. inserti An in a colon; an ejector connected to saidischarge assage on the other side of said valve, said) ejector utilizinga Huid under pressure and in motion to create a. suction7K in saiddischarge passage; and an operating lever for said three-way valveselectively movable between' two alternate positions to close'saiddischarge passage and open communication between said su ply assage andsaidinsertion member to `combination of: a fluid supply reservoirproviding a supply passage arranged to supply `a! fluid under pressure;a discharge passage "having a three-way valve therein, said valveconnecting said supply passage to said discharge, passage;y aninsertion' member connectedto said discharge passage on one side of saidvalve, said insertion member having a single fluid passage therein. andbeing adapted for insertion in 'a colon; an ejector connected to saiddischarge assage on the other side of said valve, sai ejector utilizinga fluid under pressure and in motion to create al suction in saiddischarge passage; an operating lever for said three-Way valve se-'lectively movable between two alternate positions to close saiddischarge passage andv open communication between said supply passageand said insertion member to allow fluid to flow from said reservoir tosaid colon to expand said colon by the pressure under and which saidfluid is delivered thereto', and to close said supply passage and opencommunication between said discharge passage tion created by saidejector .to forcibly draw o'ff said fluid from said colon through' saidinsertion member for the purpose of suddenly contracting said colon;`and mechanism operably associated with. said ejector and controlledbysaid lever to proportionately vary the rate of flow of said fluid insaid discharge passage and the degree of suction created therein by saidejector. Y

3. In a colonic irrigating apparatus, the

i combination of a fluid supply reservoir providing a supplypassagearranged to supply a fluid under pressure; a discharge passagehaving a three-way valve therein, said valve connectingsaid supplypassage to said discharge passage; an insertion member connected to saiddischarge passage on one side [of said valve, said insertion memberhaving a single fluid passage thereinv and being adapted for insertionin a colon; an ejector connected to said discharge passage on the otherside of said valve, said ejector utilizing .a

fluid under pressure and in motion to create a suction in said dischargepassage; an operating lever for said three-way valve selectively movablebetween two alternate positions to close said discharge passage and opencommunication between .said supply passage and said insertion member toallow fluid to flow from said reservoir. to said colon to-expand said-colon by the pressure under which said fluid is delivered thereto; andlto close said supply passage and open communication between-saiddischarge passage and said insertion member/to allow said suctioncreated lby said ejector tov forcibly draw off said fluid'from saidcolon through said insertion member for the purpxose of suddenlycontracting said colon; mec anism operably aociated with said ejector.and controlled by said lever to ro ortionately vary the rate of flow ofsaid flliii in said discharge passageand the degree of suction vcreatedtherein by said ejector; and check means provided in.

said discharge passage andoperable to per- -mit fluid to flow from saidinsertion memberfgthrough said 'discharge vpassage toward said ejectorbutto prevent a/return flow of insertion member;

id insertion member to allow said suc- Ni fluid from said ,dischargepassage to said 4. Ina colonic irriating apparatus, the Y comprisinga'bod providing a primary bore connected to sai discharge member on theother side of said valve and a secondary bore converging withsaidprimary bore; a fluid supply tube connected tosaid secondary boreand adapted to deliver a fluid under pressure convergently into saidprimary bore to create a suction in saidY discharge passage; ejectoroperating valve means in said fluid supply tube; and lever cansassociated with said three-way valve and said ejector operating'l valve,said lever being operable when moved l to one position to simultaneousloperate said valves to close said supply tu e, close said dischargepassage, and open communication b etween said'supply passage and saidinsertion member to'allow fluid tollow from said reservoir to said colonto expand said colon vby the pressure under which said fliiid isdelivered thereto, and said lever being operable when moved to anotherposition to closesaid supply passage, open communication between saidinsertion ymember and said discharge passageand open said supply tube toallow said suction created b said ejector to forcibly draw off saidthrough said insertion tube for the purpose of suddenly contracting saidcolon. l

5. In a colonic 1rr1gating apparatus, thev combination of a fluid supplyreservoir pro- Ividing a supply passage arranged to supply a fluid underpressure; a discharge passage having a three-way valve therein, saidvalve connecting said supply passage'to saiddischarge passage; aninsertion member connected to said ldischarge passage on one side of` said valve, said insertion member having a single fluid 'passage thereinand being adapted for insertion in a colon; an ejector uid from `said,colon iio means comprising a body roviding a priy mary bore' connectedto sai' discharge memberl lon the othery side of said valve and asecwith said primary ondarybore converging) bore; a fluid supply tu econnected to said secondary bore and adapted to deliver a fluid underpressure convergently into saidff'pri# mary bore to create a suction insaid discharge. passage; ejector o erating valve means in said fluidsupply tu e; leve/r means assoc1ated with said three-way valve and said.

ejector operating valve, said lever being operable when moved to oneposition to simultaneously operate said valves to close said supplytube, close said discharge passage and open communication between saidsupply passage and said insertionmember to vallow yfluid to flow fromsaid reservoir to said colon .said ejector and controlle by said leverto proportionately vary the rate of flow of said Huid in said dischargepassage and the degree of suction created therein by said ejector; andcheck meansl provided in Said discharge passage and operable to ermitiuid to flow ffrom said insertion mem r through said discharge passagetoward said ejector but to prevent a return iow of fluid from saiddischarge passage to said insertion member.

6. In a' colonic irrigating device of -the character described, 4thecombination of; a

Huid reservoir havin a delivery passage ar-A' ranged to deliver a u1d anmsertlon mem,-y

ber having a single fluid assage therein adapted for insertion in a coon; a dischargepassage having an ejector therein adapted' to create asuction in said dischar e passage;

be inserted into the rectal portion ofitheA colon; means for deliveringliquid to said colon through said insertion tube to fill said i colonand under suilicient pressure to expand said colon; and means forwithdrawing said liquid from said colon through said inser-` tion tubeand for producing in said colon suiiicient vacuum to contract same.

9. In a colon exercising device forrehabilitating normal peristalsis ofthe colon, the y combination of: an insertion tube adapted to beinserted into the rectal portion of the colon; and means for alternatelysupplying liquid to said colon throu h said insertion tube and removingsaid liquid in suchI a manner as. to alternately expand and contractsaid colon to rehabilitate peristalsis.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 8th day of August, 1930. l' l v i HUGH E. DIERKER.

Valve means connecting said de ivery `pas sage, said insertion memberland said discharge passage, whereby communication between said deliverypassage and said insertion member, and said insertion member and saiddischarge member is alternately established for the purpose ofalternatel deliver- I ing fluid under pressure tothe co on to ex pandsaid colon and `forcibly withdrawin suction create said fluid from saidcolon b by said ejector to suddeny contract said colon. f

7. In a colonic irrigating deviceof the characterv described, thecombination of: ,a fluid reservoir having a delivery passage ar* rangedto deliver a fluid; an insertion member having a single fluid passagearranged to mechanicallyjlprovide'a suction therein and being connectedto-sald uid delivery passage and saifl/ insertion member; and means foralternately t, estab- 1 -lishing'` open communication between'saiddelivery passage and said insertion member gandibetween said insertionmember andfsai 'dischar e passage for the purpose of alterf natelyel1vering`uid to said colontoex; pand said-colon and forcibly withdrawinsaid Huid from v said colon by suctionr to su den'ly contract saidcolon.

8: In a colon exercising devicefor rehabilitating normal Aperistalsis ofthe colon, the

' combination of.; an insertion tube adapted assage therein adapted yfor1nsert1on 1n a co ong' ag'dischargef los 1,91o,756.-Hugh E. DierkerDISQLAIMER Ocean Park, CsQIiL COLON IRRIGATOB.. Patent 'dated May 23,,1933. Disclaimer led Oc Hereb um this 4disclaimer w ahimGazetteDeceimber. 2?', 1.938.]

tober 31, 1938., by the patenbe.y 8 and 9 in said Letters Patent.

